“You look terrified.”
“Oh, I—” Sloan cleared her throat and glanced at Xeni.
“You can tell them,” she replied with a smile. “This is a safe space. A cone of silence surrounds us.”
Sloan rolled her eyes at Xeni’s hippie bullshit, but decided it was okay to spill the beans. “I’m not sure exactly what it is, but something’s happening with me and Rafe, our nanny.”
“I knew it!” Meegan yelled. The news seemed to snap her out of her funk. “I saw the way he looked at you before he took off. He’s definitely into you.”
“It’s not horrible if I start something with him?”
“You know what I think,” Xeni replied.
Sarah sat back on the cushions and made a show of crossing her legs. “I’m just glad someone is hitting that. I wanted to risk it all every day he came to pick up Winnie. Hell, he’s hot enough that Angelo might have let him join us.”
“Yeah, he’s—pretty tempting,” Sloan admitted, though tempting seemed like a really tame description of the way she was lusting after him. “But I guess, listening to Meegan just now, I’m still not entirely sure what I want. My ex was my only everything. First boyfriend, all that crap, and he was also a huge asshole. Is. He’s currently still an asshole. I haven’t dated at all since we split up. Meeting someone online or in a bar is different than hooking up with your live-in nanny. I think. I’ve never met anyone in a bar. I’m just scared it’s all gonna go horribly wrong.”
“It can go horribly wrong with any relationship,” Shae said.
“Sure can!” Meegan said with a pitiful laugh.
“I thought I’d married my best friend,” Shae went on. “And then, whoops! He finds out he’s infertile and everything goes to shit. I literally never saw that coming. But now I’m with my actual best friend who is actually awesome. I never pictured us being together.”
“Really, it’s not a problem, like school-wise or whatever,” Sarah said. “We had a married father of one of our students who was sleeping with four different nannies. His wife decided to confrontall of themon campus, in front of a large number of children and parents.”
“Oh my god. John Hunter,” Xeni laughed. “Where are you now? Are you keeping it in your pants?”
“Yeah, I don’t think I could be that sloppy.” Sloan cringed at the thought. “We’re just taking things slow at the moment.”
“You like him,” Meegan teased.
“I’m really starting to, yeah”
“I can’t believe I missed him,” Shae groaned. She’d arrived last, after she closed up her bakery for the day.
“I’m sure Xeni has pictures,” Sloan said, only half joking.
“Yeah, whatever. My internet stalking skills are creepy until they benefityou,” Xeni said as she started going through her phone. “Here.” She handed the phone to Shae and Sloan watched, awaiting that odd approval that she absolutely didn’t need, but desperately wanted.
“Oh, I have a ginger too! And we’re both divorced. We should start a club.”
“I mean, I’m not sure if I’m ready for full membership, but we’ll see.”
Her finger moved across the screen like she was looking at more than one photo. “He’s pretty hot, Sloan.”
“He’s a good guy, too.” Sarah said with a shrug. “Winnie loved him and he was one the most helpful volunteers I’ve ever had in my class.”
“So, I should lock that down, huh?”
“Yup.”
“What are you looking at?” Sloan asked Shae, a nervous laugh following her question. Shae’s finger had been swiping quite a bit.
“GodsGracie03’s Instagram account?” Shae handed over the phone and sure enough, there was Gracie’s Instagram. There were tons of pictures of her with Rafe, Hope and their parents. They looked so happy, and Rafe—he looked so good at being a big brother. She thought of the pictures he’d sent her throughout the week of the girls and how he wasn’t in any of them. That weird twinge resurfaced, making her throat feel a little tight for just a moment before Sloan did her best to push it back down again. She handed Xeni her phone and then poured herself another glass of wine. She’d sleep with Rafe first. Then worry about that twinge.
After spending some time with his parents and listening to Hope explain all of her issues with the most recent season of her favorite show,Galaxis, Rafe headed out to catch up with his boys. There was no plan. Maybe a short ride down the coast. He knew his cousin Marcus would be up to eat, throw a few back and then call it a night. Nothing too wild, since half of their crew had already done time at some point. He also wanted to be on top of his shit when he rolled back to Sloan’s house. He was off the hook for Sunday nights, but the girls were looking forward to their first day of school and he knew all three of them would be a little on edge. If he could help make things run a little smoother, he would and he wouldn’t be fighting off a hangover if he stepped up to do it.
Rafe parked his bike in front of his cousin’s shop, South Coast Tattoo. The CLOSED sign was flipped, but the neon sign above the door was still on. His buddy Hector’s bike was parked out front even though there was no sign of him in the front of the shop. Rafe could see the shop assistant, Kendy, sweeping up the waiting area. He walked to the door and gently tapped on the glass. Kendy froze, her eyes narrowing before a bright smile flashed across her face. She set down the broom and came over to flip the padlock. A blast of AC and the sounds of a tattoo gun mixed with a Zapp and Roger classic hit Rafe as he opened the door.
